Maintaining Wireless Networks for a BYOD Environment

When a mast appeared on the horizon in the days of the Clipper ship, one did not know whether it was a single ship passing uneventfully by or a battle group with hundreds of ships following close behind. In the case of smart devices such as tablets showing up at work, the answer is: It’s an armada.

Most of these users in the enterprise have only guest privileges on the corporate network. But as tablets and other smart devices take over the enterprise, network managers are finding that they have no choice but to let the guard down and embrace these invaders. Like the first PCs in companies back in 1979, users are forcing IT to adapt to what is now clearly a flotilla of new arrivals. But the current Wi-Fi infrastructure is bending and is liable to break.

Pull quote: By 2015, 80% of newly installed wireless networks will be obsolete because of a lack of proper planning.”- Paul DeBease, Gartner Group, (October 2011)

Like the clipper ships of old, new tablet devices are faster, lighter and highly productive for some kinds of computing. And they are absolutely taking over. Since IT is bureaucratic, the source of these devices and control of both their apps and settings is a deep concern. Companies source some for their employees. Users with a subsidy purchase some. And others are purely Jolly Rogers invading the enterprise domain. (“Arr, Arr.”) But regardless of sourcing, all of them are finding a place in the new IT version of the high seas.

How fast is the change happening? According to a report by Evercore Partners, in 2010 35% of wireless usage in the enterprise originated from smart devices. By 2011, that number jumped to 63%. “Shiver me Timbers!”

With that kind of growth, IT departments and network planners are looking up from their conference tables when the janitor comes to empty the wastebaskets and dust the blinds during the night shift. They clearly know that users will begin to resent slow connections or no connection at all. As device density climbs, the limeys will begin to fight for their ration of network grog. The deep implication is that without network planning for massive increases in these devices, company expenses will dramatically climb as users forgo Wi-Fi connections for GSM at much higher data rates. Never mind that if IT doesn’t provide the connection than it has no basis to implement any policies without user acquiescence.

Gartner Group’s Tim Zimmerman said in October 2011 that “Without proper planning, enterprises deploying iPads will need 300% more Wi-fi.” In other words, if IT managers don’t get ahead of the game, they will need to triple investment in wireless radio in order to maintain performance parity that exists currently with every increasing density.

The saving grace will be upscale tablet support for 5.0GHz connections, which can double device density per radio. Most WiFi smartphones and tablets in use are already legacy systems. Why? They use a 2.4 GHz. band that offers connections to fewer than half of the number of connections offered by 5.0 GHz. WiFi radios. WiFi radios at 5 GHz can support 15 wireless connections while legacy 2.4 GHz radios can only host eight. Another factor that is causing network planners to call their spouses and tell them “don’t wait up for me” is the single antenna smart devices have. These single antenna models have a maximum data throughput of 65 Mbps. Add up the limits in the number of connections on a 2.5 GHz. connection plus the single antenna lowered data rate and you have a recipe for trouble.

A slew of new solutions in Network Access Control, Mobile Device Management, and WiFi tools will probably save the day for IT. The “admirals of the network” know that if they can’t bring resources “up from the rear” that they will be “walking the plank” by 2015.

The Dell Blog brings you news you can use about Dell products and services. This blog is sponsored by Dell in partnership with Intel and Ziff Davis. Follow Dell's company page for more news and updates.

Disclaimer: Blog contents express the viewpoints of their independent authors and
are not reviewed for correctness or accuracy by
Toolbox for IT. Any opinions, comments, solutions or other commentary
expressed by blog authors are not endorsed or recommended by
Toolbox for IT
or any vendor. If you feel a blog entry is inappropriate,
click here to notify
Toolbox for IT.

Copyright 1998-2015 Ziff Davis, LLC (Toolbox.com). All rights reserved. All product names are trademarks of their respective companies. Toolbox.com is not
affiliated with or endorsed by any company listed at this site.